Transition Carrboro
Welcome to the Transition Carrboro wiki page. Transition Carrboro is moving us from oil dependence to local resilience by highlighting, networking, supporting, empowering, and celebrating Carrboro community action (our evolving mission statement). *Communication ** Listserve: transition-carrboro@googlegroups.com ** This wiki Upcoming Meeting Sunday, March 29th, at 7pm. Location Weaver St. Realty. Mission Statement We are in the process of defining a mission statement; Some versions so far include: * Transition Carrboro is moving us from oil dependence to local resilience by highlighting, networking, supporting, empowering, and celebrating Carrboro community action * Transition Carrboro is a group of individuals and organizations crafting a positive* local future while addressing the twin challenges posed by climate change and the end of cheap oil. * Transition Carrboro is developing an action plan for meeting our community's needs with renewable energy, local food production and sustainable industry. * Transition Carrboro is an initiative to engage all sectors of the community in designing our local pathway toward a low energy and positive future that is in line with the facts of a finite world. * Transition Carrboro will provide a forum for citizens to educate themselves and develop practical and sustainable alternatives as we switch from an economy that is extractive and import-based to one that is renewable and locally-based. Related Events CARRBORO PEAK OIL RESOLUTION – At 7:30 P.M., Tuesday, March 17th, at Carrboro Town Hall, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen heard a Peak Oil resolution drafted by interest group NC Powerdown and revised by Town Staff. The resolution acknowledges the peaking and consequent decline of global petroleum production, an event which will likely result in near-term oil price increases and significant changes to the single-occupancy-car transportation model widespread in the United States. According to Kirk Ross, staff writer for the Carrboro Citizen, The Board of Aldermen set up a special sustainability advisory board and referred the matter to the town staff for additional review and comment. (http://www.carrborocitizen.com/main/2009/03/19/board-oks-claremont/) All Carrboro residents and organizations were encouraged to come in support of passage of this resolution. People who wanted to speak at this meeting, were asked to sign up the day of (Tuesday); Powerpoints were due by noon on Monday, the day before the meeting. Documents for inclusion with aldermen packets were due noon Friday. Text of the Resolution A RESOLUTION SPECIFYING THE INTEREST OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN IN CREATING A SUSTAINABLE LEGACY FOR THE TOWN OF CARRBORO, Rev Jan. 24. 2009 Whereas new discoveries of fossil fuels are not keeping pace with increasing global demand, resulting in reduced availability and quality of critical resources needed for transportation, food production and energy for manufacturing & household uses; Whereas finite supplies and increasing demand for fossil fuels result in burdensome price increases for daily living necessities, jeopardize our capacity to have a resilient economy, and lead to production of oil and gas by energy-intensive and environmentally harmful means; Whereas continued dependence on the burning of fossil fuels for transportation and energy increases the atmospheric level of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gasses at a time when the current concentration is considered by scientists to be at a “tipping point” that will bring about accelerated global warming and associated cascading, catastrophic effects endangering future generations of humans and most other species; Whereas the aggregate impacts of human activity, including our expanding technological capacities and sprawling “development footprint,” are endangering the quality of the air we breathe and the soil we depend on for food, and both the quality and quantity of our water supplies; Whereas the United States, still the single greatest per-capita consumer of fossil fuels and producer of global CO2 emissions, has yet to enact national policies to deal with our considerable contribution to a global crisis; Whereas we are becoming keenly aware of our local contribution to these global threats, of the costs they already impose, and of the threat to future generations; Whereas the Town of Carrboro has historically demonstrated leadership in addressing the full spectrum of sustainability issues, and our community desires to align Carrboro more effectively with these emerging global challenges at the local level in order to maintain our quality of life while ensuring a viable environmental, social and economic legacy for those who will follow us; Therefore Be It Resolved: 1) That the Carrboro Board of Aldermen supports the community’s desire to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, achieve secure and renewable production, transmission and storage of energy, ensure healthy & affordable supplies of food, water and shelter, protect soil quality and conserve open space, reduce, reuse and recycle solid waste, in order to ensure a sustainable legacy for our descendents; 2) That the Board of Aldermen in its continued dedication to sustainable practice commits to further inform the Carrboro community of the potential risks associated with rapid depletion of energy resources, climate change and sprawling development footprint, and to address these challenges locally; 3) In order to expand our pursuit of a sustainable legacy in Carrboro the Board of Aldermen will establish a Community Sustainability Task Force comprised of Advisory Board members and other community members to propose sustainability policy objectives and a spectrum of strategies for community sustainability including (and not limited to): a. Propose new Town ordinances and zoning to bring about changes, where needed, in our land use, urban & architectural design, transportation, environmental quality, economic development and water & resource conservation and reuse; b. Compile educational materials and create teaching opportunities to assist community members and businesses in achieving greater resource efficiency and reducing their “carbon footprints;” c. Work with Town Staff to actively and directly address the likelihood of sustained fuel inflation in all future planning in which fuel cost is a relevant issue, including the Budget, Capital Improvements Program, economic development planning, transportation planning and energy audits leading to implementation of conservation & efficiency measures; 4) The Board of Aldermen will work for accelerated completion of the joint carbon emissions inventory and development of greenhouse gas reduction strategies associated with the Cities and County’s Climate Protection Agreement. Transition Carrboro Agents Transitioning from an infinite worldview to a finite worldview in one generation is a daunting prospect that requires the participation of agents from all scales. Within the town of Carrboro there are many individuals and organizations that have varying skills and focuses. Transition Carrboro's foundation is the community. Carrboro Organizations * Food * Energy * Transportation * Sustainability * Town Government Carrboro Individuals Draft White Paper This draft has NOT been reviewed by members of the nascent Transition Carrboro steering committee. It is posted here for the group's editing convenience. Transition Carrboro: An Energy Descent Plan Initiative Draft Document Version 0.5 22-Mar-2009 Prepared for the Transition Carrboro Steering Committee and prospective associates by INT Skills Group. Last saved on: 3/27/2009 6:59 PM 1. Overview 1.1. Executive Summary Peak oil and global climate changes, together with the current economic climate, have created the ideal conditions for developing and implementing an Energy Descent Action Plan. Local food production and processing, electrified non-carbon transport, renewable biomass, short-range energy distribution flows, and use of local currencies will provide the best means for our current economies to survive and thrive in the times ahead. 1.2. Purpose Transition Carrboro is a grassroots initiative for creating a locally resilient community that addresses the paired challenges of peak oil and climate change. There are many ways to go about making change, but this one is to be celebratory. It addresses people’s psychological needs, is enjoyable and exciting. It draws on existing strengths and knowledge and identifies opportunities to fill gaps in our capability to live in a post-oil community setting. Hopefully this grows and gains its own momentum. Eventually there will be groups focusing on discrete areas like food and transportation. 1.3. Scope This initiative is focused on the geographical bounds of the City of Carrboro and the non-incorporated rural areas that supply the bulk of Carrboro’s food, energy, and water supplies. We anticipate that there will be a good deal of give and take with the other cities of the Triangle in the early stages of our research, networking and planning efforts. However, the visible manifestations of our projects will be located in Carrboro and will primarily address the service needs of the Carrboro area. 2. Energy Descent Action Sectors Based on the number of groups and individuals who are already working toward a low-energy future, we have highlighted 12 sectors of community life and activity that we think are ripe for energy descent planning and demonstration projects. *Food *Water *Local Energy *Housing *Health & Emergency Services *Local Economy and Livelihoods *Local Governance *Transportation *Consciousness Raising *Education *Youth and Public spaces *Waste Management Also, Light Industry_________ Heavy Industry__________ Human Services At this time, we have no plans to address the Four H’s: Housing, Health and Emergency Services, Heavy Industry, or Human Services. We hope that our initiative will inspire, inform and energize other sectors of the community to assess these areas for adaptation to sustainability principles and how their needs might be served by a comprehensive energy descent plan. We welcome input from members and representatives of these sectors 3. Goals Number One goal: creation of an energy descent action plan. To show the general public how all the existing initiatives lead to our existence as a transition town. Seek means of measurement to determine where our deficits in sustainability might be and find ways to fill the gaps in our capacity. The best thing we could provide would be the definition and goal for other groups, a common platform to recognize what we’re transitioning away from and why we’re doing it. Our strategy should be: how do we create events and bring together those groups in a way that they’re willing to come together and have a representative on a common group. 3.1. Objectives of Transition Carrboro *To reduce community consumption of and dependence on coal, oil, natural gas *To promote a smooth transition to locally-generated multiply-redundant energy sources with a non-centralized distribution infrastructure for energy consumption. *To identify gaps in the local and regional capability for sustainable community-reliance *To lay the ground work for sustainable trade and transportation routes *To foster community resilience by multiple means including education and skills training in production and processing of food, housing, clothing, energy, and other basic industries. *To act as a coordinating group: flow people, resources, and money to new infrastructure. 3.2. The 12 Steps of the Transition Carrboro Process #Raising awareness is one of the first things we do #Working with other local environmental and social justice groups. #Hold an unleashing, the official unveiling of the group. #Use open space methods of setting agendas #Form subgroups that take over the momentum as the steering committee dissolves. #Aim for early, visible, practical manifestations of what we’re doing—hopefully photogenic things. #Re-skilling workshops, for things we might need in an energy-scaled-down economy, such as hands-on crafts and communication. #Work with local government. #Honor our elders and their memories. #Let the process go where it wants to go. #Steering group (temporary) #Energy Descent Action Plan (EDAP) 3.3. Twelve projects !!! NOTE: These projects are placeholder items, not actual projects being planned !!! Twelve projects are being considered by the Transition Carrboro Steering Committee: one project for each of the twelve sectors in the EDAP. Community Activity Sector_________ Brief Project Description _____________ Begins #Food:_________ Carrboro GreenSpace Community Harvest _____________ 21Sep09 #Water:_________ Rain Barrel Installation "SWET Team" _____________ 21Jun09 #Local Energy:_________ TBA _____________ #Housing:_________ TBA _____________ #Health & Emergency Services:_________ Biodiesel Fire Truck Ride _____________ 04 July 09 #Local Economy and Livelihoods:_________ TBA _____________ #Local Governance:_________ TBA _____________ #Transportation:_________ Bamboo Bike Trailer Build _____________ 22Apr10 #Consciousness Raising:_________ Movie showings _____________ 21 May 09 #Education:_________ Workshop on thin film solar roofing installation _____________ 21Feb10 #Youth and Public spaces:_________ Bike bumper cars _____________ 04Jul10 #Waste Management:_________ Humanure Composting Toilet presentation _____________ 21Nov 09 Project Guidelines Projects are designed as: *A positive, collective vision for something rather than a negative struggle against something *Comprehensive in nature; identify aspects of our community that need more energy/activism *A unification of many people/groups towards an end goal *Mobilization… harnessing and focusing energy. *Remembering to address people’s psychological needs as they awake to the reality of the environmental crisis & peak oil Projects will be carried out by affinity groups who have knowledge, expertise and connections in the sector of effort. Organizations and individuals with affinities to a section will form explicit coalitions. The first step, within Carrboro, will be to assess Carrboro's current vulnerabilities to diminishing energy supplies and requirements for curtailing CO2 emissions as a whole. Then the coalitions will identify sustainable low-energy alternative systems for their section. For each dimension of community life (section) in Carrboro, a realistic timeline will be drawn up for the transition (including a step-by-step action plan). Also, a set of informational resources will be assembled (participating organizations and individuals, and more generic informational resources such as: books, articles, web sites, and so on). 3.3.1. The Role of Action Teams and Action Projects *Film screenings *Event with speakers, followed with three days of workshops and open space. *Maybe do an event centered on social justice to bring in more people. *Building relationships by going to events, like community meetings in Northside community. *Seek grant monies and local investment to grow green jobs for youth and elders *Grow urban food *Support farms with crop mobs and CSA investment *Community kitchens *Household conservation drives … … … *Rhubarb rhubarbtinuously. 4. Existing Groups in the Carrboro and Triangle Areas 4.1. Food 4.1.1. Food: Large Land Parcels *Land In Common (community farm trusts) *Carrboro GreenSpace *Abundance Foundation, Pittsboro 4.1.2. Food: Preparation and Distribution *Weaver St Markets *FLO Foods *Triangle Food Commons *Slow Food Movement (Andrea Reusing) *Many Local restaurants *Farmer’s Markets (Carrboro, Chapel Hill, The Village, Durham) 4.1.3. Food: Centers and Associations *CIRA Center for Integrated Research & Activism *CEFS Center for Envir. Farming Systems *Carolina Farm Stewardship Association 4.1.4. Food: Farm Workers *Crop Mobs *WOOF Workers on Organic Farms 4.1.5. Food: Livestock /Beneficial Bugs *Heifer International *Jack Tapp (Beekeeper) 4.1.6. Food: Urban Agriculture / Community Gardens *Bountiful Backyards *SEEDS *Housing Communities *Many Community Gardens **Northside **CCCC (MLK) **OCPIC (MLK) **UNC **Pickard’s Mt. Earth Institute 4.2. Water *Water conservation systems *Rain barrels, rain catchment *Households *Schools, gov’t buildings *Office buildings, Malls *Composting toilets *Greywater systems 4.3. Energy *Abundance Foundation Pittsboro Center *Carbon-free home (Hcons – Durham) *Common Ground (Durham, green building store) *Duke Smart Home Program *Ed Witaen Hillsborough Solar *Energy Audits *Local biofuel co-ops *NC Powerdown *New Chapel Hill Solar Company *Piedmont Biofuels *Solar Tech *Southern Energy Management *UNC Institute for the Environment *Xero Flor (Durham, green roofs) 4.4. Consciousness Raising *Awakening the Dreamer Symposium *Carrboro Green Space *Center for Rezone Studies *Green Yoga *Pachamamma Alliance *Pickard’s Mountain Earth Institute *Spence’s Farm *The Abundance Foundation *The Work That Reconnects *Whole Brain Learning E 4.5. Economy Local Economy and Livelihoods *B.A.L.L.E (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) *Carrboro Local Living Economy Task Force *EBT use at farmer’s markets *Quite Illegible *Self-Help Credit Union *The Abundance Foundation *The Change (branding? breeding?) *The Plenty local currency 4.6. Waste Management and Reuse *Composting @ **Chapel Hill Restaurant Group **Lantern Recycling Centers **Orange Co. landfills? *Spence’s Farm seeking clearance to install composting toilets *PTA Thrift Shops *Really, really free markets *Recyclery *Society for St. Andrews *Gleaning for food banks *Carrboro Public Works *Leaf collection & humus distribution *Independent newspapers free for gardeners *Greywater systems 4.7. Transportation • Greenways Transit (Durham) • TEVA Triangle Electric Vehicle Assoc. • Chapel Hill Transit, DATA, TTA, CAT • Recyclery • Durham Bike Co-Op • Zip-Car UNC Greenbridge • Blue Bikes 4.8. Housing • ABS Alternative Building Systems • Orange Co. Land Trust, affordable Housing • Tim Watson • Southern Energy Mgmt • Energy Earth • Greenbridge • Harvey Harmon • Green Roofs • Arbor Realty • Pacifica • Arcadia • Greg’s building someone a cob cottage 4.9. Health & Emergency Services • Triangle Residency Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA) • Mediation Center • Conflict resolution skills • Carrboro Fire Dept • Planned Parenthood • Black/Brown/Green Alliance • Pachamamma Alliance • Alternative Health centers 4.10. Local Governance • Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb. 4.11. Education • Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb. 4.12. Youth and Public spaces • Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb. 5. Summary View of Project Milestones Each project should proceed in 5 stages including the pilot which is a three-stage small-scale simulacrum of the full-scope operation. Each stage has a sequence of 3 milestones and 2 objectives, totaling 15 steps to completion and 10 completions or visible results. Needs table markup Table 4: Summary of Project Milestones Stage Seq # Milestone Name Objective: Brief Description Pilot 1 2 3 Team Building 4 Commitment Attend X of N meetings 5 Role Fulfillment Complete task assignments in a timely manner 6 Research and Development 7 8 9 Project Planning 10 11 12 Implementation 13 14 15 Enjoyment Meter Have a great time in the process and the actual event 6. Technology: Development and Transfer Technology needs for this project come in three flavors: hardware, fuels and training. Hardware in this instance refers to the material objects used to generate and convert mechanical power for use. The word ‘fuels’ refers to all the sources of energy that are available. 6.1. Technology: Project Activities • Replace XTEEN incandescent bulbs with CFLs and LED lights • Public harvest of food grown on public lands. • Show 12 movies to audiences of 15 people or more 7. Project Siting 7.1. Prospective Locations The pilot project should select three venues: one for a one-time open air activity, one for foul weather fall-back and one for an on-going resource referral center. 7.1.1. Pilot Site Requirements Large enough to seat xteen people. End Matter Figure 1: Recycle Symbol Figure 2: Recycle Symbol 2 Appendix A: Resources Appendix B: Reference Works and Web Sites Appendix C: Long Term Dreaming – • A sense of hope & possibility • Affordable local organic foods • Bicycle-powered appliances • Bike repair shops every 5 miles • CNN coverage of Transition Carrboro • Community gathering more than TV watching • Compost mandatory • Electric bikes • Expanded cybrary • Expanded farmers market • Fire truck, buses, emergency vehicles on biodiesel • Food not lawns & edible landscaping • Functional artisan skills are mainstream • Gardens @ all schools • Human-scale transport infrastructure – bike lanes! • Kids know how to grow food • Kids outdoors • Kids riding bikes • Landfill cleanup & mining • Large-scale bartering • Legal humanure • Legal in-town poultry • Less commuting/more telecommuting • Lifeskills taught • Local bank • Local time/labor bank • Medicinal herbs grown/used • Mill power @ town center • Organic food cooking classes • Organic school lunches • P.E. in schools • Regional theater • Regular film showings • Rooftop gardens • Shared storage/processing for farmers • Solar thermal water common • Sustainable inter-continental travel • Thriving alternative clinics affordable • Tool-lending library • Town farm • Transition Handbook a bestseller • Urban aquaculture Process (As derived from the Transition Towns Handbook) Steering Group Tasks 1. Set up a Steering Group and design its demise from the outset Setup of a Steering Group of reliable people with the aim of getting through steps 2 to 5, and agree that once a minimum of four subgroups are formed, your group disbands and the steering group becomes made up of one person from each of the groups. 2. Raise Awareness Talks, Film screenings (Carrborogreenspace), Letters to the editor, go to schools, networking, etc... * Logo: Sami and Tracey 3. Lay the Foundations Networking with existing groups and activists, and stressing that this Transition Initiative is not a process of duplicating their work but of requesting their input in a new way of looking at the future. Acknowledge and honor the work they do, and stress that they have a vital role to play. See Transition Carrboro Agents 4. Unleashing The powerful, passionate, informative, and inspirational evening -- a one-off opportunity to bring all those people together to launch the Transition Initiative -- a celebration of the community's resourcefulness and creativity. 5. Form groups Part of the process of developing an Energy descent Action Plan is that of tapping into the collective genius of the community. One of the most effective ways to do this is to set up a number of smaller groups to focus on specific aspects of the process. Each of these groups will develop their own ways of working and their own activities, but will fall under the ubrella of the project as a whole. Spokes-council Tasks 6. Use Open Space Open Space Day events focusing on specific questions. Open Space technology is a simple way to run a productive meeting, for 5 to 2,000+ people, and a powerful way to lead any kind of organization, in everyday practice and ongoing change. The essence is to get people talking, building relationships, discussing ideas and making connections. Serves to identify priorities for the work ahead. 7. Develop visible practical manifestations of the project 8. Facilitate the great Reskilling 9. Build a Bridge to Local Government 10. Honour the Elders 11. Let it go Where it Wants to Go 12. Create an Energy Descent Action Plan * Carrboro Energy Descent Action Plan